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WELL....We attended a wine pairing dinner last night, and the wine of choice was a Cabernet. I was to bring dessert. I figured hmmmm, something rich and chocolate. Some would think that I need a life. I have every Bon Appetit magazine since 1970 and I have indexed them all. So I decided to make a flourless chcolate torte and found this recipe, under my desert section. It sounded great. I did not read any reviews before I started, just jumped on in and started making the pistachio paste. A lot of work, my poor food processor got a work- out. I then made the chocolate batter, which as previous raters stated set up in a solid blob. I used a large metal spoon and stirred and stirred and it softened up. I then folded in the egg whites and baked it. While it was in the oven I decided to read the reviews. Oh dear.....I might have screwed up. No body seems to like this. I made sure to take it out of the oven as they suggested leaving a little batter on the tester. I made the ganache, took it to the dinner party and it was AWESOME !!! Nice and moist, not too rich (I used chocolate chips) It's a keeper. Try again folks.

WELL....We attended a
wine pairing dinner
last night, and the
wine of choice was a
Cabernet. I was to
bring dessert. I
figured
hmmmm, something rich
and chocolate. Some
would think that I
need a life. I have
every Bon Appetit
magazine since 1970
and I have indexed
them all. So I decided
to make a flourless
chcolate torte and
found this recipe,
under my desert
section. It
sounded great. I did
not read any reviews
before I started, just
jumped on in and
started making the
pistachio paste. A lot
of work, my poor food
processor got a work-
out. I then made the
chocolate batter,
which as previous
raters stated set up
in a solid blob. I
used a large metal
spoon and stirred and
stirred and it
softened up. I then
folded in the egg
whites and baked it.
While it was in the
oven I decided to read
the reviews. Oh
dear.....I might have
screwed up. No body
seems to like this. I
made sure to take it
out of the oven as
they suggested leaving
a little batter on the
tester. I made the
ganache, took it to
the dinner party and
it was AWESOME !!!
Nice and moist, not
too rich (I used
chocolate chips) It's
a keeper. Try again
folks.

BOY what is the deal with the recipe? After I finely ground the nuts and sugar to almost a peanut butter consistancey I added the egg whites and all the oils separated from the nuts. What a globby mess. If I try this again I will not add the egg whites and move on. I quit after the frustration of this recipe. I made the torte "La Bete Norie" from the September issue. GREAT torte. However I would like to try this pistachio torte some other one because I love pitachios.

Hard to find pistachios, then this nightmare consistency that no one could fold egg whites into cement. The chocolate solidified and was impossible to blend with the nut mixture. Surely, someone could have tried this out before publishing it and come up with a bit of help. I will be surprised if my mixer ever rises from the dead after this job.

This was a bit of a pain to make. Trying to fold egg whites into something the consistancy of cookie dough was difficult. And butter oozed out of my springform pan, burned on the bottom of the oven and set off the smoke alarm! A bit of foil would be wise. Cake was delicious though--the pistachio flavor came through well, I thought. Still--there must be an easier mixing method.